Valerie LaRiviere: Animal heroes  pets that save lives

A pet is defined as “a domestic or tamed animal or bird kept for companionship or pleasure and treated with care and affection.”

Did you know that six out of every 10 American families have a pet? Or that people spent over $41 billion on their pets just last year? More importantly, did you know that pets can also save lives?

Whether it be a dog, cat, hamster, bird or any beloved pet, pet owners care for their pets. Similarly, pets form a bond for their owners, and in some cases, these bonds can lead to survival in sticky situations.

Service dogs help people who have disabilities such as visual difficulties, hearing impairments and a variety of other diseases. They help provide owners, often called handlers, with the ability to do work or perform tasks that they would otherwise have difficulty completing on their own. At a young age, they are specially trained and clearly taught the difference between “work” and “free time.”

They usually serve in their roles for eight to 10 years. While they are most commonly known for serving as guide dogs, these service dogs help assist their owners in different ways. Service dogs save human lives on a daily basis, and of course, provide company and love to their owners, too.

While some dogs are trained to help their owners, others have come to the rescue without any coaching at all. Pet pooches have been credited for saving their owners from predators such as snakes and coyotes, risking their own lives to save someone else’s.

A prime example is Shana, a half-wolf, half-German shepherd who led her owners to safety after a massive snowstorm in upstate New York. Shana dragged an elderly couple through a 200-feet tunnel she dug underground in order to lead them to safety. She stayed close and kept them warm until firefighters came to their rescue. Shana surely deserved to win the Citizens for Humane Animal Treatment’s Hero’s Award for bravery, an award usually given to humans.

Lulu the potbellied pig. A family pet weighing 209 pounds saved the day by somehow maneuvering her way through the doggy door of Jo Ann Altman’s door. Jo Ann had fallen to the floor and was experiencing a heart attack. The pig ran for help and even risked her own life by lying down in the middle of the road. When a driver stopped his car and pulled over to check on the pig, Lulu led him back home where Jo Ann was in need of help. Thanks to this special swine, Jo Ann’s life was saved and she was able to make a full recovery.

While they may not be pets, there are other animal heroes that have performed unbelievable acts which have been helpful to humans.

Todd Endris has a pod of dolphins to thank for being here today. While out surfing one day, a 15-foot shark appeared and attacked him not once but twice. On his third attempt, Todd was able to kick the snout of the shark, setting him free, yet exhausted and still vulnerable to this ferocious, underwater beast. At that time, a pod of dolphins came out and formed a protective ring around him. Finally, when he felt revitalized, he was able to swim to safety and receive the emergency attention he needed to survive.

What began as a fun and friendly visit to the zoo could have ended in tragedy. Instead, a female gorilla named Binti came to the rescue.

During a family trip to the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois, a 3-year-old boy accidentally fell 20 feet into the wall surrounding a gorilla enclosure. Call it motherly instinct, Binti, the lowland gorilla, picked him up and warned off other gorillas. She carefully carried both her own baby gorilla and the boy and headed toward the entrance of the enclosure where a zookeeper happily greeted the small boy and returned him to his real family.

Ningnong, a lifesaving elephant, helped provide peace and safety to a young girl during a natural disaster. In the Thai island of Phuket, Amber Mason was partaking in an elephant ride when a horrible tidal wave struck. The elephant ran from the sea and braced himself from the water in order to save young Amber’s life. The elephant stayed close beside her until her family located her safely.

Clearly, animal heroes have made a huge difference for humans. So, whether they’re covered in fur, scales or feathers, be sure to treat them with respect and kindness. Who knows? They may save your life one day.

Valerie LaRiviere is a public school educator and has taught third grade for 12 years. Look for her monthly column, Just for Kids, the first weekend of each month in Our Towns. Visit www.sj-r.com for her accompanying blog.